Leg rests



March 1968 J. BELLOCK 3,371,962

LEG RESTS Filed March 13, 1967 INVENTOR, John Bellock,

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,371,962 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Two identical U-shaped members arranged in downwardly divergent relation, form a stand for a panel which they straddle. The distal end portion of each of the arms of said members, extend vertically upwards. Those on one of said members, act as stops for those on the other. There are two small plates, positioned between the side edges of the panel and said distal end portions of the U-members. Said distal portions of one of the U-members, being secured to said plates respectively. Said panel being mounted on pintles extending from said plates, for swinging movement about an axis spaced a distance from the center of gravity of the panel. The panel is separable from the assembly. The stand is compactly foldable. Upon assembly to use condition, the plates are preferably within the confines of the side edges of the panel, and said distal end portions of the U-members, are Within the confines of the plates.

The present invention relates to an article of furniture and more particularly to a leg rest of the type comprising a panel swingably mounted on a stand or frame and usually used in front of an upholstered chair. The panel may be a padded or an upholstered structure. The frame comprises a pair of U-forms.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a leg rest of the character described, of novel and improved construction, whose frame is collapsible so that it can be conveniently stored in a closet and to afford compact packaging for shipment.

Another object thereof is to provide a novel and improved collapsible leg rest of the kind set forth, in which the legs cooperate to determine the frame form for use condition, and when in such arrangement, offer sturdiness.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved leg rest construction having the aforementioned attributes and which is simple in its make up, reasonable to manufacture and efiicient to carry out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a leg rest embodying the teachings of this invention. The leg rest is here shown in use by a person sitting in a chair.

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the leg rest in erected condition, but not in use. The axis of swing of the panel being spaced from the center of gravity of said panel, the latter has here assumed a vertical position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing the frame in folded condition and the panel detached therefrom, so for shipping or storage, the article needs a comparatively small carton as compared to the space it takes up when in erected condition.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the leg rest with its frame in folded condition.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged views.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates generally a rest for the legs 16 of a person sitting in a chair 17. This leg rest comprises a leg-supporting panel 18, a frame consisting of two identical U-shaped leg members 19, 20, and two relatively small plates 21 and 22, which are identical, except that one is right and the other is left. In the embodiment shown, the panel and said plates are of rectangular shape; the thickness of said panel being the same as the width of a plate, which is twice that of the diameter of the tubing stock of the legs. A distance down from the upper edge of each plate, on the longitudinal center line of such plate, is a laterally extending pintle. These pintles 23, 24 are rotatably fitted in the bushings 25 and 26 respectively, which are fixed in suitable bores, one into each side edge of the panel 18. These bushings are in axial alignment along a line which is spaced from the center of gravity of the panel, so that the panel in the assembly, stands vertically when the leg stand is in use condition as shown in FIG. 2. A short portion at the distal ends of the legs 19, 20, is bent in obtuse angle relation to the plane of the leg. Such terminal portions of the leg 19, are indicated by the numerals 19 and 19" respectively, While those of the leg 20, are denoted as 20' and 20" respectively. The angles a and b are identical. The legs are so positioned that when they are next to and along one another as in FIG. 3, the distal portions of one are in angular relation to the corresponding distal portions of the other. Near the bend determining the distal portion 19, there is an axis pin 27 extending laterally from the plate 21, on which axis pin said terminal portion is swingably mounted. An axis pin 28 extending laterally from the plate 22, similarly mounts the distal portion 19". These pins are in axial alignment. The distal portions 20', 20" are secured to lie heightwise along the plates 21 and 22 respectively, from and to one side of i the plates vertical center line, so when the frame is extended to use condition, the distal parts of the legs of the U-members will be in contact and act as stops for one another at each side of the panel 18, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The size of the panel is such that it is spaced above the surface the frame members rest on so it is free to be swung.

The U-frame members 19, 20 may be of tubular metal, and the panel 18 may be padded and upholstered with a fabric or plastic cover, which if desired, can match the chair 17. The legs may have some resilient give, so that the panel 18 is removable from the pintles 24, as in FIG. 3, to attain compactness for shipping or storage purposes.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment herein shown shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific showing and description herein, to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a leg rest of the character described, first and second Ushaped frame members positioned in downwardly divergent relation, a normally vertically positioned panel having opposite side edges, straddled by said Umembers whereby the distal ends of corresponding legs of said U-members are at one of said side edges respectively, and first and second plates, positioned, one against each side edge of said panel, between said panel and the distal ends of corresponding legs of said U-members respectively; the first of said U-members having vertical distal end parts, one on each of its arms, in obtuse angular relation with its general plane; the second of said U-members having vertical distal end parts, one on each of its arms, in obtuse angular relation with its general plane; the distal end parts at one side edge of the panel being in contact and alongside one another against the firs plate; the distal end parts at the other side edge of the panel being in contact and alongside one another against the second plate; the distal end parts of the arms of the first U-member being secured to said plates respectively; the distal end parts of the arms of the second U-part, being mounted near their lower ends on said plates respectively, for swinging movement about a first common horizontal axis whereby said U-members are movable to each other; said panel being swingably mounted on said plates for movement about a second common axis parallel to said first axis and spaced a predetermined distance from the center of gravity of the panel; said frame members being adapted to rest on a surface; the bottom edge of said panel being spaced from said surface whereby the panel is afforded free movement to horizontal position.

2. A leg rest as defined in claim 1, wherein the contacting distal end portions of the legs of the U-members at each side edge of the panel, substantially cover the plate thereat; the thickness of the panel being substantially the Width of a plate, and said plates being Within the confines of the side edges of the panel respectively.

3. A leg rest as defined in claim 1, wherein the position of the first axis is such that when the U-members are 4 brought to each other, the legs of one will contact and lie along the legs of the other respectively; said U-membcrs being of identical size.

4. A leg rest as defined in claim 3, wherein the second axis is afforded by having a pin extending from each of the plates into sockets in the side edges of the panel respectively; said pins being in alignment and said U- members being resiliently bendable so that the panel can be separated from said pins.

5. A leg rest as defined in claim 1, wherein the mentioned distal end parts are integral With the respective arms of the frame members they are on.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 322,792 7/1885 Clark 297439 2,874,003 2/1959 Humphries. 3,119,356 1/1964 Sauer 1088 3,132,835 5/1964 Drabert 248-397 3,188,141 6/1965 Wright 29743 9 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

